Device for holding hypodermic needles



p 1, 1959 J. ROSE 2,902,169

DEVICE FOR HOLDING HYPODERMIC NEEDLES Filed Sept. 22, 1954 2 2 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent DEVICE FOR HOLDING HYPODERMIC NEEDLES Jay Rose, New York, N.Y.

Application September 22, 1954, Serial No. 457,649

- 3 Claims. (31. 211-60) This invention relates to a device for cleaning of hypodermic needlesand is a continuation-impart of my prior application," SerialNo. 404,903, filed January 19, 1954, now Patent No. 2,818,979, dated January 7, 195 8. This device may .be used in carrying out the process for cleaning hypodermic needles set forth in my Patent No; 2,704,- 266 issued March 15 19 5.5. l The Patent No. 2,818,979 covers :a device for holding hypodermic-needles. The device is designed to support the needles in substantially vertical positions, with the hubs upwards, prevent the needles from revolving when being cleaned with a rotary tool, and prevent the needles from dropping out of the device when it is turned over with the needles therein to invert their position with the points upwards for the purpose of being drained.

The principal object of the present invention is to pro vide a device for cleaning hypodermic needles wherein the needle supporting bars have means for preventing the tilting of the needles in any direction to an excessive degree.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device for cleaning hypodermic needles which has guard means to prevent accidental contact of the needle points by the attendant when the device with the needles therein is being turned over.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing.

Figure l is a plan view of my present device for cleaning hypodermic needles with the retaining screen broken away to show the needle supporting bars thereunder,

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the device,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a fragment of the device,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the needle supporting channel bars, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of channel bars taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

The present device generally comprises channel bars bent up of thin metal and locked together by the legs of one bar fitted inside the legs of the other bar. The upper and inverted channel bar has rectangular openings spaced evenly apart and the lower channel bar has round openings, of smaller diameter than the rectangular openings above, and spaced apart on the same centers so that they may respectively lie directly therebelow. The vertical space between the round and rectangular openings is less than the height of the hubs of the needles. The assembled double channels are next inserted by their ends in side-supporting channels and placed together in close parallel relationship to make a surface with a multiplicity of openings. The length of the double channels and the number of these placed side by side will depend on the number of needles the device is designed to hold. The lower opening, in the lower channel, need not be round.

In many hospitals, the needle is not removed from the syringe after use but is sent to a central cleaning division where the needle is separated from the glass syringe and dropped into a basin. This is done to prevent infection which may result from one being stuck with the point of a needle during the handling. It is obvious that damage to the points frequently results from this procedure, especially so when hundreds of needles are so removed daily and intermingled together.

'I he rectangular shape of the upper opening in the upper channel, in a simple way, makes possible the elimination of the present method of removing the needles from the syringe. With my invention the needle is directly inserted in the device and by a light turn of the glass syringe it is separated. from the needle, and the needle is allowed to remain in the device. The outer I sides of the hubs of the needles are flat and conform to the four sides of the rectangular openings which will ourround four sides of the hubs and will thereby prevent the needles from tilting endwise in the channel bars and at the same time prevent the needles from turning when a rotary cleaning tool is inserted in their hubs. In the prior application, there is shown means for supporting the needles to prevent rotation when being cleaned with the tool but not preventing the tilting in all directions and particularly longitudinally of the supporting bars. The needle hubs are supported on two sides only in the prior device but here assurance against tilting in the longitudinal direction is had. The hubs are thereby more firmly held and positioned and the whole procedure of removing needles from syringes is facilitated. The opening in the lower channel being less in diameter than that of the hubs of the needles prevents the needles from falling therethrough and serves to support the needles in the bars.

The present device has handles and legs and a meshwire cover means for preventing the needles from dropping out when the holder is turned over for drainage purposes in the manner set forth in my prior application. There is a guard for protection against contact by the attendant with the needle points when the holder is being turned over.

Referring now particularly to the figures, 10 represents generally a top mesh guard, 11 the needle-supporting double channel bars, and 12 the bottom guard. The top guard 10 comprises a frame 13 with mesh wire 14 therein. The guard 12 comprises a frame 15 having mesh wire 16 therein. The ends of the needle-supporting bars are supported in and between opposing channels 1717 that are tied together at their ends by end frame members 1818 to which handles 1919 are respectively attached. The end members 18 have spacing extensions 29 that hold the end channel bar assemblies 11 spaced therefrom.

Each channel bar assembly 11 has an inverted upper channel bar 24 that is fitted within the lower channel bar 26. The upper bar 24 has a series of square openings 23 that receive the square hubs of needles 20 so as to prevent them from turning and from tilting longitudinally of the assembly while being supported in smaller diameter round openings 25 in the lower bar 26 respectively vertically aligned with the respective square openings. The mesh wire frame 13 has tension springs 27 depending from the opposite sides thereof that are detachably connected to hooks 28 extending upwardly from the mesh frame 15, Fig. 2.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l l. A device for holding hypodermic needles comprismg a supporting frame having laterally-spaced parallel sides disposed at a predetermined elevation, a plurality 3 of needle supporting bars of such length as to span the space between the elevated sides, means upstanding from the sides for retaining the needle supporting bars against longitudinal displacement therebetween, said needle sup porting bars respectively having means for individually supporting a plurality of hypodermic needles in a vertical position so as to prevent rotation of said needles when the hubs thereof are being cleaned with a rotary tool or when the needles are being separated from a syringe, said individual means on the bar also being formed to hold the needles against tilting movement as well as against rotation, said supporting frame being rectangularly shaped and rigid in construction.

2. A device for holding hypodermic needles as defined in claim 1, and said means for individually supporting said needles comprising top and bottom members interfitted within one another, said top member having polygonal-shaped openings and the sides thereof being adjacent and conforming to the hubs of the needles, said bottom member having openings smaller in size than the polygonal-shaped openings and lying respectively therebeloW, said needles being held in said device by the lower ends of the needle hubs resting in the smaller opening, with the pointed tubular ends of the needles projecting downwardly therefrom, the polygonal-shaped openings in the top member and the smaller openings in the bottom 4 3 member thereby serving to maintain the needles against rotation and tilting movement longitudinally of the supporting bar as well as laterally thereof.

3. A device for holding hypodermic needles as defined in claim 1, and said supporting frame having verticallyextending handle members secured to the opposite ends thereof and serving as the supports therefor, a holding mesh frame adapted to overlie the hubs of the needles to keep the same in place within the needle supporting bars, a bottom guard frame underlying the pointed ends of the needles to protect the operator from being stuck by the pointed ends when the device is inverted for drainage purposes, and means for releasably securing the hub engaging mesh frame to one of said other frames.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,092,156 Mathis Apr. 7, 1914 1,901,583 Conway Mar. 14, 1933 2,313,905 Wallin Mar. 16, 1943 2,532,604 Carski Dec. 5, 1950 2,666,967 Poitras Jan. 26, 1954 2,678,052 Moreland May 11, 1954 2,691,381 Strunck Oct. 12, 1954 2,704,266 Rose Mar. 15, 1955 

